PH 111 First Laboratory (MJM)
Practice Using the Sonic Ranger through the BIB (basic
interface box)
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Download the software from www.rose-hulman.edu/~hatten, or
get it directly below
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Put the zipped software in a directory where you will want
it
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Unzip the software
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Double-click on SonicRanger2.exe
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This should come up and act ready to run, even if you are
not connected to the BIB
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If it moans and groans, you may have to load 3 m*.dll files
in your windows system directory to get your program to run (usually this
is not necessary)
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Plug the sonic ranger (cord hanging from ceiling) into the
BIB interface
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Connect the BIB to your laptop via the parallel port.
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Plug in the DC wall plug to the BIB
Toolbar items (left to right)
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Black box with red waves emerging: click on this to take
data
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Blue band across the top: this is the parameters menu for
ping rate.
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The default temperature of 25C is high and could be reset.
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The rest of the defaults should be ok to start.
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Curved line: plot x vs t
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Straight line with little 'v' : plot v vs. t
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Horizontal blue line: plot acceleration vs t
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Big 'Z' : zoom in
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Next one: I forget - maybe delete a point
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Cross: get coordinates of a point
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Curved line and x^2 plot a parabola (by clicking in 3 different
places)
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Straight line and x: plot a straight line (by clicking in
2 different places)
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Red torch - I forget
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Under 'Graph Tools' you can find some of these same functions.
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Under 'File' you can save the current data set. This data
can be opened in Excel.
Practice Using the Ranger
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Hold your hand one foot or more from the ranger
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Have your partner start taking data and move your hand
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Try for a constant speed of 1 m/s
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If data is not decent, hold a book or a ball in your hand
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When data is decent, do a line fit of the data and see what
velocity you achieved
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Record this data (write down the equation), and sketch the
x,t graph.
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Each partner should try to get a constant-speed run. Record
both runs.
Falling Ball Data (reference is Introductory Lab Manual,
June 2000, p 3-8 ff.)
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Obtain a large (larger than a softball) ball, and practice
dropping it
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Hold the ball a foot or more from the ranger
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have your partner start the ranger, then drop the ball
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When data is decent, fit the graph of x,t. (Will a straight
line fit this data?)
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Record this data: sketch the graph, label axes, indicate
numbers, write the equation.
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Keep the same data and bring up a v,t graph. Fit this graph.
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Record this data. (sketch, label, numbers, equation)
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Discuss with partner and neighbors how to obtain acceleration
from x,t and v,t fits.
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Determine a in m/s^2 for both x,t and v,t runs. These should
not disagree by more than 15% or so.
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Switch partners, do another ball drop.
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One partner should fit the x,t data and record it.
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Then the other partner should fit the same data and record
that.
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(This gives an indication of variability in people fitting
the same data.)
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Fit v,t data and record it. (Each partner do an independent
fit.)
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If time permits, do one more run of dropping the ball.
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Give a rough indication of ball color, size and texture.
Do not 'mass' the ball.
Report.
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This is a record of what you did in the lab.
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Include details of what you did and how you did it.
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Sketches should include 2 sig figures to indicate values
on axes
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Equations must be recorded from your computer screen.
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Evaluate equations to determine acceleration. Show a sample
calculation for this work.
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Compute the average and standard deviation of all acceleration
values.
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[Note: due to buoyant effects of air, and some slight air
resistance effects, we expect the value of acceleration to be somewhat
smaller than 9.8 m/s^2